2017 Ford Fusion Energi vs 2017 Nissan Leaf

There are a
number of ways you can be a little kinder to the environment with the vehicle
you drive, but some form of electrification has to be involved if you're going
to be serious about the whole thing. Let's look at two different ways of going
about it by comparing the 2017 Ford
Fusion Energi vs 2017 Nissan Leaf. The Fusion Energi is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) while the
Leaf is an all-electric vehicle (EV), so let's see which comes out on top in
this Ford vs Nissan battle.

Powertrains

With the 2017
Ford Fusion Energi being a PHEV, it means you can drive on purely electric
power or as a conventional hybrid where the internal combustion engine works
with the electric motor to deliver excellent performance and outstanding fuel
economy. The Fusion Energi has a relatively modest all-electric range of around
20 miles, but you're not shackled by having to wait a long time to recharge the
battery if you're travelling long-distance. There's no internal combustion
engine to bail you out in the 2017 Nissan Leaf if you deplete the battery, so
you will have to plan longer journeys carefully. The Leaf's range is therefore
a lot better than the all-electric range of the Ford at around 107 miles, but
the greater flexibility and practicality of the Fusion Energi's PHEV system
draws first blood in this first round of our Fusion Energi vs Leaf comparison.

Exterior
styling

The Leaf is a
very different car to the Fusion Energi, but that's no excuse for a lack of
attractiveness or desirability. The Fusion Energi is obviously almost identical
to the very highly regarded Ford Fusion, and as it's generally accepted as
being one of the most attractive cars of its kind right now, that's a big head
start for the Fusion Energi. The Leaf is a design all on its own, and it shouts
to the world that it's something different. That's fine if you want to
broadcast your EV credentials to the world, but if you don’t you’re stuck with
a model everyone knows is all about not being gas-powered. Different isn’t bad,
of course, but the Leaf isn’t even a particularly good-looking car regardless
of its powertrain, so this is another win for the Ford.

Interiors

As the Fusion
Energi is a midsize sedan, there's a more than decent amount of internal space,
comfort and practicality on offer. There's 102.8 cu.-ft. of passenger volume in
the Ford, which translates into 44.3 inches of front legroom, 38.3 inches of
rear legroom and 37.8 inches of rear headroom. The Leaf may be a compact, but
if Nissan is going to ask as much money for it as it does for the Leaf it's
only fair to compare it to the midsize Fusion Energi. The Leaf only has 92.4
cu.-ft. of passenger volume, so there's less room by every measure than the
Ford offers, including a massive five inches less rear legroom. This is another
easy win for the Ford.

Models
and cost

Both the Leaf
and the Fusion Energi are now available in three different trim levels. The
Ford can be had in SE, Titanium and Platinum trims while the Nissan
Lead is available as an S, an SV and an SL. The Fusion Energi SE costs from
$33,120, but you can get into a 2017 Nissan Leaf S for just $30,680. We can
argue about which represents the best value for money, but the Nissan can be
bought for less so this round goes to the Leaf.

Verdict

The 2017 Nissan
Leaf may be the standard bearer for electric vehicle technology, but it's now
being overtaken by a number of rivals so it's going to have to up its game
considerably to stay relevant. The 2017 Ford Fusion Energi is a superb car that
anyone can live with as it's a much more practical way of reducing you
automotive environmental footprint, and you can save a load of money on gas
into the bargain. For us then, the Fusion Energi is a much better option than
the Nissan Leaf.